New Philadelphia Stadium
The “Nikos Goumas” Stadium, also known as “New Philadelphia Stadium” or “A.E.K. Stadium”, was built in 1930 and demolished in 2003. Today the new A.E.K. OPAP ARENA stadium stands in its place. The new stadium was inaugurated on September 30, 2022, and has a total capacity of 31,100 spectators, which can reach 32,000 with the suites. The full founding name of the stadium is “Agia Sophia” Sports, Memory and Culture Center. The name refers to the founders of A.E.K. who were refugees from Istanbul and to the historical church of Agia Sophia.
The exterior of the stadium is faintly influenced by the Theodosian walls, with a castle-like appearance. Its surface is covered by natural grass and it has two high-definition LED scoreboards. It is 27 meters high from the top of the stands and 30 meters from the roof. It has four prominent concrete pillars at each corner, 40 meters height in total. It has modern changing rooms, a boutique, a venue, a restaurant/bar, canteens, a model OPAP agency, as well as a coffee shop inspired by the political culture in Agia Triada Square, just outside the southern part, and a parking lot with a capacity of approximately 500 vehicles. At the same time, efforts have been made to make the stadium a place of memory for the history and culture of Asia Minor.
The “Nikos Goumas” Stadium, also known as “New Philadelphia Stadium” or “A.E.K. Stadium”, was built in 1930 and demolished in 2003. Today the new A.E.K. OPAP ARENA stadium stands in its place. The new stadium was inaugurated on September 30, 2022, and has a total capacity of 31,100 spectators, which can reach 32,000 with the suites. The full founding name of the stadium is “Agia Sophia” Sports, Memory and Culture Center. The name refers to the founders of A.E.K. who were refugees from Istanbul and to the historical church of Agia Sophia. The exterior of the stadium is faintly influenced by…
